Two-path sheet timing and transferring mechanism



F. R. BELLUCHE.

TWO PATH SHEET TIMING AND TRANSFERRING MECHANISM. 1,406,603.

APPLICATION man 050.29, 1920.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922'.

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F. R. BELLUCHE. TWO PIITH SHEET TIMING AND TRANSFERRING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-29,1920- Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

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F. R. BELLUCHEJ TWO PATH SHEET TIMING AND TRANSFERRlNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29, I920- Patented Feb. 14', 1922,

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annex W01 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK n. BELLUGHE, or BoSToN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR'TO UNITED P INT N MACHINERY COMPANY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or M SA- GHUSETTS.

TWO-PATH SHEET TIMING AND TRANSFE-RRING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Fe l) 14, 1922- Application filed December 29, 1920. Serial No. 433,812.

To all 10 710m 2'2, may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. BELLUOHE, a citizen of the United States, residin at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of l/lassachusetts have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Twp-Path Sheet Timin and Transferrin Mechanism' and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying'drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel mechanism for transferring sheets of paper from a machine, such as a printing press, operating thereon to another machine, such as a bronzer, for further operations; and for so timing or controlling the passage of the sheets between the two machines that the sheets will be properly presented to the second machine regardless of small variations, or lack of exact synchronism, in the time required for a com plete cycle of operations by the respective machines.

The invention is an improvement upon the mechanism shown in the application of Upham, lielluche and l-lornig, filed June 21, 1920, Sr. #390,500, which shows and broadly covers sheet transferring and timing means whereby such ditliculties as have been here tofore caused by slight variations in time of operation of the two machines will not prevent the proper transfer of the sheets from the press to the bronzing machine, nor the proper presentation of such sheets to the hronzing machine after they are transferred from the printing press.

I will explain one practical embodiment and application of the present invention (as adapted to transfer sheets from a printing press to a bronzing machine) with reference to the accompanying drawings, to enable others familiar withthe art to readily adapt and use the same; but I do not consider the invention restricted to the specific inechanisms shown; and therefore refer to the claims. for summaries oi? the essentialsof the invention, and of the novel features of construction, and the novel combinations oi. parts.- for allof which I desire protection.

in said drawings Figs. 1 and 1 together illustrate a digrammatical longitudinal partly sectional elevation of a printing press, of a bronzing machine, and of my novel mechanism for transferring sheets from the press to the bronzer and compensating for lack of synchronism in theoperations ofjthe two machines. 1

V Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the sheet stopping and detecting device.

Fig.- .3 is a detail side elevation of Fig. 2

and enlarged section on line 33,of Fig. 1.

ning horizontally from a reel beside the;

impression cylinder to and under rotary guides R; then up over rotary guides R then preferably in a horizontal direction. to and over guides R; then back to and over guides R g then down under guides R; and thence back to the reel R; thus the grippers 6 travel in an endless circuit.

The grippers c ordinarily transfer the printed sheets from the impression cylinder I to and overa sheet delivery table; but in the present case instead of the sheets being dropped onto av delivery table, thesheets S are delivered-from the carriers, E onto the upper run of a set of horizontally disposed endless tapes D; vhich tapes run over rotary guides cl, d which are "journaled in suitablebearings on the press frame, or other convenient support, in a. plane below and parallel with the run of the carrier E between the guides R and R From the tapes D the successive sheets are alternately delivered to sets of carrier tapes B and C by which they are in turn delivered to a set .of carrier tapes by which the sheets are conveyed to the receiving end of .the machine that next operates on the sheets.

which machine is indicated in Fig. 1 asa bronzing machine and may be of any suit able construction. i

As shown the bronzing machine has a cylinder W rovided with grippers 10, adapted to take sheets at the proper point from the tapes A and carrying theinpast the usual shown the used.

The sheets brought forward on the tapes D are directed alternately onto the endless tapes B and C by any suitable means operated in the proper manner and time. In the example show-n a switch 2 is mounted on a shaft 2 suitablysupported on the press frame and having anarm 2 engaging a cam 2 on a shaft 2 journaled in part of the press frame adjacent the switch, and'said cam may be operated by suitable means, .so as to raisev and lower the switch 2 at proper times to direct successive sheets alternately onto the tapes B and tapes C. As indicated in Fig ure 5 the shaft 2 may be driven bygears 2 from a pinion R on the shaft of the guide R The tapes B run over rotary guides b, b, which are mounted on shafts journaled in suitable bearings in or supported on 'a frame 3 which bridges the space between the adjacent ends of the press frame and the bronzer frame, and provides a convenient support for the intermediate operative members.

The tapes C also run over rollers c and c which may be mounted in suitable bearings attached to the supporting frame 3. This frame 3 may be of any suitable construction and one end thereof is preferably pivoted to part of the frame of the bronzer, in line with the axis of the roller 6; and the other end of this frame may have arms 3 by which it is supported upon the lugs 3 on the press frame, when the bars are in operative position. This construction would permit the frame 3 and the parts mounted thereon to be swung up out of the way, if it is desired to do so.

The tapes A run over the guides b and over a rotary guide mounted in suitable hearings on the frame of the bronzer, and adjacent the cylinder vV.

The several sets of tapesA, B, C are caused to travel at a speed slightly faster than the peripheral speed of the bronzing cylinder W, and may be conveniently driven by suitable means, from the printing or bronzing machine.

As shown the tapes C and B are driven at approximately the same speed as the tapes A by means of pinions be and as on the guides Z) and 0 respectively, whlch p nions mesh with an intermediate gear 2 which is driven by a pinion d on guide dso that the tapes A, C,.B have approximately, the same linear'travel and are operated in the proper directions to advance the sheets on the printing mechanism towards the-:bronzen;

The tapes A maybe driven in a direction to carryv the sheets toward cylinder "W by any suitable means. As indicated in Fig. 1 a gear an? on gui'de a meshes with an in termediate gear as driven by a gear was on the cylinder lV of the bronzing machine. Any other suitable form of gearing might of course beused to operate the tapes A at a speed preferably slightly faster than the peripheral speed of the cylinder W.

Adjacent the discharge ends of the sets of tapes C and B are mounted suitable sheet stops hereinafter described 'by'which sheets S carried bythese tapes can be arrested or retarded, until it is time to have the same progress toward and onto the tapes A. These sheet steps may be of any suitable construction'and operated by any suitable means.

Cooperating with the set of tapes B near their sheet stops is a sheet retarding device adapted to slow down the sheets before they reach the sheet stops. A similar retarding device is provided for the tapes C- and a like sheet retarding device is provided for the tapes A adjacent the cylinder lV. These sheet retarding devices may be of any suitable construction.

As shown above the path of the tapes C and near the discharge end thereof is arranged a rock shaft l which may be mounted in supports 3 attached. to the frame 3 (seeFigs. l and 5). fingers r which swing longitudinally of the tapes C, and in one position will depend below the tapes to arrest or retard a. sheet thereon; and in another position will re lease the sheet. The shaft 4 may be rocked in proper and at proper speed to cause the fingers 4: to properly retard the sheet by any suitable means. As shown shaft 4 has an arm ei connected by a rod 4: to the upper end of a lever 4: which is pivoted to the frame ofthe printing press adjacent the shaft 2 and carries a roller which engages a cam l on the shaft 2 which cam is adapted to rock theshaft' 4 at the proper time.

' A similar set of sheet retarding devices is arranged below the tapes B; and comprises a shart 5 journaled in bearings 3 on the frame 3 and carrying fingers 5 which in one position project above the upper run of the tapes B (see Figs. 1 and in position to engage or retard the sheet brought forward .on said tapes, and can be swung to pass below the tapes so as to release the sheet. The shaft 5 -1nay be rocked at the proper time by any suitable means; as shown a crank arm 5* is connected by a rod 5 to a lever 5 which is pivoted on the arm adjacent the shaft 2 and preferably carries a roller. engaging a cam 5 on the shaft 3 (see Figs. 5 and 6). At a point beyond the sheet retarding devices 4L, 5, sheet stopping and sheet detecting means are provided whereby the sheets are prevented frompassing from the tapes C or B ahead of time onto tapes A.

- As shown ('Figs. 1"- 2, 3 and 5) above the run of the tapes C and between. the retard ing fingers and the tapes A are sheet stops or blades 7*, attached to a shaft 7 extending across the frame 3 and these blades nor mally project down between the tapes C and in'thepath of the sheets. The shafts 7 are journaled in brackets 3 on the frame 3. On theend of the shaft 7 are arms 7", andsuitably supported by these arms is a rod 7 which carries detector fingers 7 that depend into the path of the sheet edges in advance of the stops 7. On the rod 7 c is a latch 7 which is normally engagedwith a lug 7 a on a finger 7 pivoted to the upper end of the arm 7 and normally upholds the finger 7 so that it will not be in position to be engaged by the arm 7 of a rocking lever loosely pivoted on the shaft 7. This rocking lever has one arm 7 adapted on one rocking motion to engage the finger 7 if the latch 7 is disengaged; and this rocking lever also has an arm 7 adapted to engage and uplift the finger 7 on the opposite rocking motion of the rocking lever if finger 7 has been released by the latch 7. The rocking lever also has an arm 7 i by which it is connected to suitable operating means as hereinafter described.

The construction is such that if the sheet engages the detector fingers 7 X when the parts are in their normal position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the sheet will cause the de tectors to rock the rod 7 and thereby disengage the latch 7 from the lug 7 and permit the finger 7 to drop into engagement with the arm 7 of the rocking lever, and when the latter is rocked, at the proper time, it will move the finger 7 and rock shaft 7 to remove the stops 7 u out of the way of the sheet and permit it to pass onto the tapes A.

A similar set of sheet stops and detectors are arranged above the upper run of the tapes B between the retarding devices and the tapes A; and as shown, comprises stops 8 carried by shafts 8 having arms 8 carrying a detector shaft 8 provided with sheet detector fingers 8, and latch 8 adapted to engage a finger S on. arm 8", and hold the finger S out of engagement with the arm 8 of a rocking lever loosely pivoted on shaft 8. said rocking lever also having an arm 8 adapted to return the arm 8 to normal position and also having an arm 8 which is connected with suitable actuating mechacharge end of the tapes. C on to the receiv nism." The rocking lever on shaft 8 is also pivotally connected by a link 8 with the arm7 of the rocking lever on shaft 7, so that the rocking levers on the shafts 7 and S'may be simultaneously rocked by any suitablemeans. As shown the arm 8 of the rocking lever on shaft 8 is connected by a link Ffto a lever '8 which may be pivoted on the bronzer frame adjacent the reel V and' ma-y be. operated by a cam=-8 on the reel shaft as indicated in Fig, 1 i

In the construction illustrated the sheet tapes C are not quite as long as tapes B but thesheets may be directed. from the dising end of thetap'es A by a bridge orgu'ide C, of any suitable construction, as indicated in Fig. 1 Means are preferably provided for retarding the sheets on tapes A so that they arrive at the taking point in exactly the proper time. As shown retardingfingers 9 (see Fig. 1 are mounted on a shaft 9, which may be suitably supported on the bronzer frame, and has an arm 9" connected by a rod 9 to a lever 9, which may be \pivoted on the bronzer frame and lever 9 may be operated bya cam 9 on the shaft of'the bronzing cylinder W. I

The parts are so proportioned that the fingers 9 will extend into the path of the sheet brought forward on the tapes A, as indicated in Fig. l, and will retard the latter, but the fingers 9 are swung in such time Q that they permit the sheet to arrive at the sheet taking position at the proper time, and fingers 9 move out of the way in time to permit the sheet to be taken by the grippers on the cylinder W.

Operatwn. 1 O 5 The sheets are alternately delivered from tapes D to tapes B and C. As the sheet S is carried along on tapes C (or B) it is first slowed down by fingers a (or 5 whichare operated as described. Further travel of the sheet actuates the detector 7 (or S) and then it stops against the sheet stops 7 (or 8). lVhen detector 7 (or 8") ismoved by the sheet, itunlatches finger 7 (or 8) which drops into position so that when lover 7 g (or 11 S is moved, it lifts the sheet stop out of the path of sheet 7 (or 8 which then passes onto tapes A. Just before the sheet arrives at the bronzer it engages fingers 9* which are moved so as to permit the tapes A to deliver the sheet at the proper speed and time for the grippers on the bronzing cylinder to take it. i

If the bronzer and press could be driven synchronously at the same speed any ordinary set of tapes would carry the sheets from press to bronzer. But practically it is impossible to so operate the machines when they are driven by separate motors. "Where my sheet transferring and timing mechanism is used the bronzer must run faster than the press. My invention will work successfully no matter what the difference in speeds between the machines may be, but the best results are obtained when the difference is as small as the controllers on the motors allow; as the less this difference is the fewer times the bronzer will run without 'asheet; w

The following example will impart a clear understanding of just what may be accom- ;lished by my invention.

Assuming for instance that a cycle of the bronzer or one revolution of the cylinder W is equal to inches of linear sheet travel; and that in the time required for the bronzer to run 50 cycles the press will run but 49 cycles, and when the machines are started sheet #1 will pass onto tapes C and arrive the sheet stops 7 on tapes C in time to move detectors 7 to cause pawl 7 to release finger 7 which drops into position to engage lever B and the latter is rocked at the proper time to lift said sheet stops and permit sheet #1 to pass onto tapes A and go to the bronzer. Meanwhile sheet #2 moves onto tapes B, but is 1 inch late in reaching detectors 8 therefore the sheetstops 8 donot lift with stops 7 and sheet #2 remains on tapes B while the bronzer goes throughyits next second cycle without a sheet. But on the nextthird cycle of the bronzer; when the time comes for the sheet stops to lift, the

sheet stop 8" lifts (since a whole cycle has passed during which time sheet #2 had but to move ahead 1 inch to arrive at its sheet stop 8 and move its detector 8" and sheet 111-2 passes onto tapes A and is delivered to the bronzer. Meanwhile sheet #3 has passed onto tapes C but is two inches late in reaching detectors 7- and therefore its stops 7 are not raised and it will not pass onto tapes A and go to the bronzer until the following cycle; Each successive sheet (4: to 50) is one inch-later than the preceding sheet in reaching its detectors (7 or 8), but sheet #51 (being 50 inches late) will reach its detectors just in the same time and manner as did sheet #1, and pass onto tapes A- but sheet #52 will arrive 1 inch late as did sheet #2.

In short each successive sheet up to the 50th will arrive 1 inch later than the preceding sheet but the 1st sheet (and 51st sheet) will arrive in exact time and place.

To sunnnarize-1n practice the cyclical speed of the cylinder is preferably slightly faster than the cyclical speed of the printing cylinder P. I and therefore during each revolution of the bronzing cylinder W it makes a slight gain on the printing cylinders P, I. For example, if the bronzing cylinder gains say one inch per revolution on the printing cylinder, it will ultimately gain a complete revolution on the printing described they will automatically take care of the leading edges of the series ofsheets successively delivered from the printing cylinder and insure that 19 sheets will successively be presented to the bronzing cylinder inproper position, but on the 50th revolution the bronzing cylinder would not receive a sheet becausethere would be none presented thereto at theproper time, but on the next (51st) revolution of the bronzi'ng' cylinder a sheet would be properly presented thereto and a cycle of 4:9 sheet handlingoperations repeated. 'Thus during each cycle of 50 operations of the bronzing cylinder the sheets would be successively further removed from the bronzing cylinder untilsay the 50th sheet would be at such a distance from the bronzer as to permit the cylinder WV tomake one idle revolution before such sheet reaches it; of course these above figures are merely illustrative and not definitive.

- lVhat I claim is: V V i 1. In mechanism of the character specified, a first means for operating upon sheets; a second means for subsequently operating upon sheets; and a sheet transferring means receiving sheets from the first means for operating upon sheets and transferring them to the second means for operating upon sheets; said transferring means including a plurality of paths for the sheets for part of the length of travel thereof.

2. In mechanism of the character specified in claim 1; two different tape paths adapted to receive successive alternate sheets during part of the length of travel thereof.

- 3. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; means adaptedto control the movement of the sheets in the transferring mechanism to deliver them at proper time to the second means for operating upon sheets.

4. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets in the respective paths so that they will be forwarded in proper time to ward the second means for operating upon sheets.

5. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; a sheet carrying means receiving sheets from said paths, and operating at slightly greater speed than the second means for operating on sheets; and means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets by said sheet carrying means to substantially accord with the speed of the second means for operating upon sheets. p v

6. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1;

each sheet path comprising endless tapes; and means for driving the tapes at greater speed than the speed of the second means for operating upon sheets. I

7. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; sheet stops adapted to arrest and control the movement of the sheets in the transfering mechanism, substantially as described.

8. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; sheet stops adapted to arrest and control the movement of the sheets in the transferring mechanism, and sheet detectors to control the stops, substantially as described.

9. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets in the respective paths and sheet stops to arrest the movement of the sheets in said paths, substantially as described.

10. In mechanim as set forth in claim 1; each sheet path comprising endless tapes; and sheet stops in each path to arrest and control the movement of the sheets in the transferring mechanism, substantially as described.

10. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; each sheet path comprising endless tapes; sheet stops in each path to arrest and control the movement of the sheets in the transferring mechanism, and sheet detectors to control the stops, substantially as described.

12. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; each sheet path comprising endless tapes; means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets in the respective paths and sheet stops to arrest the movements of the sheets in each path, substantially as described.

13. In mechanism as set forth in claim 1; each sheet path comprising endless tapes; means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets in the respective paths, sheet stops to arrest the movements of the sheets in each path and sheet detectors to control the stops, substantially as described.

14. In mechanism of the character specified, a first means for operating upon sheets; a second means for operating upon sheets;

a sheet transferring means receiving sheets from the first means for operating upon sheets; two sheet carriers receiving sheets alternately from the said sheet carrying means; and sheet transferring means receiving sheets alternately from said carriers.

15. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets by said third carrying means to substantially accord With the speed of the second means for operating upon sheets.

16. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; sheet stops adapted to arrest and control the movement of the sheets in the sheet carriers, substantially as described.

17. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; sheet stops adapted to arrest and control the movement of the sheets in the sheet carriers; and Sl166l17tl6li60l30l$ to control the stops, substantially as described. 7

18. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets on the respective carriers and sheet stops to arrest the movement of the sheets by. said carriers, substantially as described.

19. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; each sheet carrier comprising endless tapes; and sheet stops for each carrier to arrest and control the movement of the sheets thereby substantially as described.

20. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; each sheet carrier comprising endless tapes; sheet stops for each carrier to arrest and control the movement of the sheets by the carrier, and sheet detectors to control the stops, substantially as described.

21. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; each sheet carrier comprising endless tapes; means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets by the respective carriers and sheet stops to arrest the movements of the sheets by each carrier, substantially as described.

22. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; each sheet carrier comprising endless tapes; means adapted toreta-rd the movement of the sheets by the respective carriers; sheet stops to arrest the movements of the sheets by each carrier and sheet detectors to control the stops, substantially as described.

23. In mechanism as set forth in claim 14; and means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets upon the last transferring means to substantially accord With the speed of said second means for operating upon sheets.

24. In mechanism of the character specified, a first means for operating upon sheets;

a second means for operating upon sheets;

a set of tapes receiving sheets from the first means for operating upon sheets and travelling faster than said first operating means; two parallel sets of tapes" receiving sheets alternately from the said first set of tapes; and a third set of tapes receiving sheets alternately from said parallel sets of tapes; and means for driving the parallel sets of tapes and the third setof tapes faster than the second means for operating upon sheets, substantially as described.

25. In mechanism as set forth in claim 24, means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets by the last set of tapes to substantially accord with the speed of thesecond means for operating uponsheets.

26. In mechanism as set forth in claim 24; sheet stops adapted to arrest and con trol the movement of the sheets by the parallel sets of tapes, substantially as described. 27. In mechanism as set forth in claim 24;; sheet stops adapted to arrest and control the movement ofthe sheets by the parallel sets of tapes; and sheet detectors to control the stops substantially as described.

28. Inmechanism as set forth in claim 24:; means adapted to retard the movement of the sheets by the parallel sets of tapes;

and sheet stops to arrestvthe movement of y the sheets by said tapes, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature.

FRANK R. BELLUCHE. 

